This invention relates to a process for producing tungsten heavy alloy sheet by rolling a sintered slab to the desired thickness. The correct combination of rolling temperatures, reductions per pass, annealing temperature and annealing spacing are critical to successively rolling these alloys. More particularly, a wide range of tungsten alloys can be rolled to any reduction in height desired.
Tungsten heavy alloys consist of tungsten grains surrounded by a nickel-iron-tungsten matrix. The tungsten grains are much harder than the matrix and the matrix work hardens rapidly. For these reasons it is commonly thought that rolling tungsten heavy alloys to large reductions in height would not be feasible. Rolling tungsten heavy alloys to large reductions is desirable in applications such as producing sheet from slabs.
Therefore, a process for accomplishing the rolling of tungsten heavy alloys to large reductions would be highly desirable and an advancement in the art.